YVR Art Foundation

New for the 2026 YVRAF Scholarship Awards Ceremony: a Livestream! We're so excited to announce that for the first time, this event will be livestreamed! Many scholarship recipients travel in from out of town, so this will provide an opportunity for their friends, family, and community to support the artists from wherever they may be. The link can be found through the events tab on our website yvraf.com, or through the link in our bio.

ḥaakʷayiih siičamałn̓i, caqaayił (Connected to the sky), acrylic paint on cedar - Scholarship Donor: Audain Foundation - “This carved and painted cedar panel was inspired by older Nuuchaanulth works. I wanted to emulate the style of my ancestors. Using only black and red paint, the colours of the Northwest Coast. The design painted onto the panel represents a thunderbird. I decided on a thunderbird because this panel will be held at YVR for one year, a place where people are going in and out of the sky where these supernatural beings reside. The wood is cut from an old growth cedar tree that came out of Ahousat territory and was milled by my family in 2021. I worked on this panel while I was in school at Emily Carr University of Art and Design” This artwork is currently installed in YVR Airport! See it at Gate B15

James Joseph Kwaksistala Thunderbird, Whale, Raven and Beaver Totem Pole, acrylic paint on yellow cedar with abalone & Bakwus (“Wild Man of the Woods”), red cedar with horse hair and acrylic paint - Scholarship Donor: Kasian - “The figures on this totem are a rendition of a totem given to my great Grandparents Captain John and Susan Kwaksistala as a marriage dowry from chief Billy Assu, Susan’s father. The Beaver on the bottom is a symbol for persistence and determination. He is creative, stubborn, a very hard worker and understands the importance of cooperation. The Raven is known as a trickster, transformer, and creator. The Killer whale is associated with family, harmony, protection, and community, and the thunder bird on top symbolizes power, strength, and nobility. I completed this totem with the guidance of master carver Bill Henderson.” “This Being is a tempter. An embodiment of evil who rules the under world, also known as the king of drowned souls. He finds prey in those who are lost, wandering the woods with no direction. When a person is hungry and weak, the Bakwus reveals himself with an offering, what seems to be a good delicious dried piece of salmon. The lost person takes this morsel of food from the being and gobbles it down, but as they chew, the taste is detestable. Spitting it out they realize the trick that’s been played, and what looked like dried salmon is actually moldy cedar bark with maggots crawling inside. This story highlights the deception in the world around us. There’s many things this world has to offer that are beautiful and attractive in appearance, desirable to our senses, but once we fulfill these desires and indulge, we still remain dissatisfied. Be weary of what you consume, many indulgences of today’s society are a trap to suppress our spirits, so we must be mindful of what we consume, physically and spiritually.” This artwork is currently installed in YVR Airport! See it at Gate B14

Delphine Campbell, Ceremonial Blanket, hand spun sheep wool - Scholarship Donor: Tourism Richmond - "I am truly grateful to receive an artist grant to work with my mentor Debra Sparrow. I focused on patterns while weaving with sheep wool. With deep respect for our ancestors, I reflect on those who created original pieces for family and ceremonies. This is my calling—being guided and wrapped in strength by my ancestors, my closest family, and friends. I’m picking up the wisdom, strength, blessings, and shared identity they left behind. I dedicated time and energy to focus, listen, learn, adapt, and complete projects that align with my path. I’m creating warmth—reminding myself to find magic in everyday life, to honour transformation connected to the past and present, woven together to guide me toward discovering my own strength. I’m learning to trust my journey and embrace my inner light. Throughout this process, I honour our weavers by using the same colours they did, on the weavings that hang at International Arrivals. Continuing the Journey.” This artwork is currently installed in YVR Airport! See it at Gate E73

*Deadline Extended - March 8th 2026* Apply now for the 2026 Emerging and Mid-Career Artist Scholarships!

Our Call for Applications for the 2026 YVR Art Foundation Scholarships are NOW OPEN! YVRAF offers scholarships of $5000 each for Emerging and Mid-Career BC and Yukon First Nation artists. Scholarships are awarded on an annual basis to Emerging and Mid-Career Artists who create visual art that reflects BC or Yukon First Nation culture and who wish to further their artistic career by expanding their work or practice into a new area. Scholarship awards may go towards studying or working with a Mentor or Master Artist, attending a school of art, or creating an art project of cultural significance for the artist’s community. Visual Art can include (but is not limited to) drawing, painting, digital art + design, illustration, carving, sculpture, printmaking, textiles, animation, photography, video and film. Scholarship recipients will also get to exhibit their artwork at the YVR Vancouver International Airport in 2027. (Optional for Mid-Career Scholarship recipients) Check out the program pages for more information on eligibility and specific application guidelines for either Emerging or Mid-Career Scholarship Awards. Please contact Amy Pitura, YVR Art Foundation Program Manager by email at [email protected] if you require accommodations or assistance when completing the application. - Photo by Kim Bellavance Photography

Your past support has helped us achieve incredible milestones. With your help, we aim to do even more. We have a goal of raising $10,000 by December 31st, to start 2026 on the best foot possible. This year, donate and be entered to win a limited edition framed print of Hetux - Thunderbird, by Connie Watts! "Named after artist Connie Watt's grandmother, this dramatic work combines the features of the mythological Thunderbird with the personality of a woman Watts describes as determined, creative and generous. It is a strong example of Watts' style, with an innovative contemporary recasting of the elements of classic Northwest Coast art. Created from powder-coated aluminum and stained birch panels, Hetux looms above travellers as they walk through YVR's Pacific Passage, displaying images of animals and celestial bodies that represent aspects of Hetux's character including intensity, determination, joy and prosperity." *No purchase/donation necessary to enter the YVRAF Sweepstakes. All donations are automatically entered in the Sweepstakes draw. To enter the Sweepstakes without making a donation, mail your entry to YVR ART FOUNDATION, P.O. BOX 44638, YVR DOMESTIC TERMINAL RPO, RICHMOND, BC V7B 1W2. Winner will be announced January 5th, 2026

Join us for the opening reception November 27, 5-7PM, and celebrate the YVR Art Foundation Scholarship Recipients. Through diverse practices rooted in land and community, Shared Territories brings together past and present YVR Art Foundation Scholarship Recipients from Yukon and BC First Nations. Their work reflects the lands that shape their stories and the shared pathways of mentorship, learning, and creation that connect generations and nations. Artwork in image by Dustin Sheldon, Photographed by Kim Bellavance Photography Travel Sponsor: Air North, Yukon's Airline

Deadline Extended for the Bill McLennan Masterpiece Study Program! Applications will be open until Sunday September 28th 2025 at 11:59pm PST Apply now on our website, link in bio!

There is less than one week left to apply for the Bill McLennan Masterpiece Study Program! Apply now! - Deadline is this Sunday, September 21st. - Apply online through our link in bio.

Randi Ball, Gēs̱ Tōdiht’eh, carved red cedar with acrylic, 26.5 x 24 inches - Scholarship Donor: RBC Emerging Artists - “With this panel, I wanted to talk about the importance of the salmon. As indigenous people, the salmon are a very important resource to us. The salmon give us sustenance, teachings, and stories. Not only are they important to us as a source of food, but for cultural teachings as well. Some of my earliest memories are of learning to respect the salmon and learning how to harvest. Commercial fishing has become huge, and because of that our numbers are dwindling. Our future generations may suffer with not being able to harvest during the salmon run. A lot of my art has focused around the salmon, and their importance. I will continue to speak about this resource, to help non-indigenous peoples to understand the role of the salmon within our culture.” - This artwork is currently installed in YVR Airport! See it at US Departures Gate E74

Only 2 weeks left to apply! The Bill McLennan Masterpiece Study Program is your chance to study historic artworks and grow your practice. Apply now before it's too late! - Deadline September 21st - Link in bio